Greek Orthodox church says 'holy cup cannot carry disease', allows congregations to share spoon [View all]

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From https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-03-14/church-religious-groups-say-coronavirus-cannot-infect-them/12055476

Greek Orthodox church says 'holy cup cannot carry disease', allows congregations to share spoon

By Jessica Longbottom
Updated Sat at 2:21am

Greek Orthodox churches across the country will allow congregations of hundreds of people to sip wine from the same spoon during mass because "the holy cup cannot carry disease," the Archdiocese said.

Greek Orthodox priests dip a spoon into a chalice of wine and place it into the mouths of parishioners, as part of communion during mass. The spoon and chalice remain the same throughout the ceremony.

A spokesperson for the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, Steven Scoutas, said anyone showing signs of illness should stay away from church gatherings.

"But once we decide to go to church, we believe there is absolutely no possibility of contracting disease from the holy cup," he said.

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